Automatic air-brake coupling.



J. MODONNELL. AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.7,1911.

Patented May 23, 1911.

JOEL MODONNIEILL, 0F POTTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA;

AUTOMATIC AIR-BRAKE COUPLING.

Specification of Lettersl'atent.

Patented May 23, 1911.

Application filed March 7, 1911. Serial No. 612,891.

To aZZwhom it may concern:'

Be it known that I, JOEL MODONNELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pottsville, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomatieAir-Brake Couplers; and I do hereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will .enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic couplings for 7 air brakes upon railway trains and comprises means whereby the coupling heads may be held together by air pressure and also in the provision of means whereby the heads may be guided together in the event of the conthereto in longitudinal section.

pling being efiected either upon curves or when the cars are in alinement with each other.

The invention consists further in the provision of an automatic coupling device for air brake systems having oscillating cylinders centered by means of springs and con-' taming each a piston 'formed upon the stem of the coupling head.

Another feature of the. invention resides in the provision of auxiliary passageways communicating through openings in the head for the purpose of forming conduits for steam for operating whistles, heating, etc.

The invention comprises various other details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of one couplenhead and an adjacent one in section. ig. 2 is a side elevation of one coupler hcad and showing an adjacent one connected Fig; 3 is a detail perspective view of the coupling head, and Fig. 4 is'a perspective view of the under side of one of the oscillating cylinders.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a base plate which is adapted to be held by bolts B or other suitable means to the bottom of the crate. Said plate is provided with an integral semicylindrically formed rib D to the ends of which is fastened across plate E which is apertured at E for the reception of the trunnions F which project in opposite directions from the oscillating cylinder F, an enlarged detail view of one of which is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

way G and a piston H suitably packed is mounted to reciprocate therein. A spring H bears between the inner end of the cylinder and one end of the piston and a second spring I is interposed between the opposite ends of the piston and the threaded ca J which fits within the end of the cylinder. A pipe 0 has a swiveled connect-ion O with the interior of the cylinder, as shown clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and forms a part of the main pipe line, adapted to extend the length of the train and to the locomotive, not shown. Said piston has a stem 11 which is made preferably square in cross section in order to prevent the same from rotating and moves through a similar shaped opening in the cap J. Each piston stem has a head K with a lateral projection K"-upon one side and a guiding lug K upon its opposite side, said lug K having an inclined recessed portion K, shown clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, adapted to receive a lug K upon an adjacent coupler head'and which lug preferably has an inclined edge K which is rounded in order to conform to the concaved and inclined recessed portion formed in the lug K. Each head is pro vided with a plurality of ducts, designated respectively by letters L, M and N, as shown clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the central duct M communicating through the stem and, piston with the interior of the cylinder, while the passageway N has an opening laterally through the head and communlcate's with thepipe P which telescopes within a passageway P f, med in the casting shown in Fig. 4; of the rawings and is adapted to Said cyl-v inder is provided with a central passagecommunicate with a separate passageway not shown whereby steam or any other fluid may be conducted through the separate passageway thus formed for heating cars or for operating whistles. A secoiid pipe, designatcd by letter Q, communicates with :1 laterally extending portion of the passageway L and telescopes within a passageway Q which may also connect with a passageway for any purpose, such as for telephones, wires, etc.

In order to return the cylinder to its normal central position, springs S are afiorded, each of which is fastened opposite the other and adjacent to the pivotal end of the cylinder and each spring bearing against a pin T. Projecting from the plate A are the arms T and a cross-piece T is bolted or otherwise fastened to said arms and adapted for the purpose of supporting and guiding the cylinder as it swings laterally.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood and is as follows When two cars, each equipped with a coupling made in accordance with my invention,

come together upon a curve or in alinement upon a straight stretch, the tapering lugs coming in contact with the inclined and con caved surface upon the coupler head will cause the heads to come into operative connection so that the ducts leading through the ends of the heads will come into registration with one another, suitable gaskets being provided to effect air tight connections. When the connections are made and the pressure of air is turned on the @train pipe with my improved coupling attached thereto, the pressure of air will have a tendency to hold the heads in contact with each-otherto establish operative connection between all the pipes of the train.

By the provision of the oscillating cylinders, the heads are allowed lateral swing a ing movements incident to cars coming about curves, the springs connected to the cylinders serving to normally center the same. By the telescoping pipe connections, provision is also made for allowing the connections to be maintained while the cars are going about curves and, owing to the reinforcing ribs projecting from the base plates, any operative pressure coming upon the pivotal ends of the cylinders will be relieved by said projections serving as abutments to receive the impact of the pressure uponr'the cylin ders, it being noted upon reference to 'Fig. l of the drawings that a slight play is=allowed intermediateth'e trunnions upon the cylinders and the bearing apertures inwhich the I stem and provided with a duct leading therethrough' and through the stem and piston and communicating with the cylinder, means for throwing the coupler heads intooperative connection as they come in contactwith each other, and abutment means against which the pivotal end of the cylinder is adapted to bear.

2. An automatic couplerv for air brake pipes comprising a base plate having anabutment proj ection' thereon, a cylinder with trunnionspro ecting therefrom and journaled upon the base plate, meansfor centering the cylinder, 21. coupler head,-a stem therefor, a

piston upon said stem movable within the cylinder, said stem and piston havinga duct leading therethrough andbommunicating.

with the cylinder, a lateral projection upon each head provided with a concjaved recess having a tapering wall adaptedio receive a guide projection upon a coupler head.v

' 3. An automatic coupler for air brake pipes comprising an oscillating cylinder, a coupler head with a stem and a piston thereon movable within the cylinder, a passageway leading through the head, stem and pisston and communicating with the cylinder, pipes communicating with passageways leading through the head and adapted to telescope within passageways within the cylinder. 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOEL MGDONN'ELL.

Witnesses:

A. L. Hones, FRANKLIN H. HOUGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents,

- Washingtoml). 0. 

